Conventionally, in the field of image processes using computers, a so-called morphing technique that deforms the shape of an object expressed by an original image into another shape using a computer has been proposed.
In the conventional morphing process, when the operator sets corresponding regions on a plurality of different images (mainly, images based on actually taken digital image information), a computer executes an in between interpolation process on the basis of information of the set individual regions. The in between interpolation process generates intermediate values so that various kinds of information such as the position, shape, color, and the like of an object present in the set region smoothly change among the plurality of pieces of image information. When the computer reproduces and displays an image on the basis of the plurality of pieces of image information, the intermediate values are referred to, thus implementing movement of pixels, which form the display screen, a change in display color of pixels, and the like. In this manner, upon reproducing and displaying an image using a plurality of pieces of actually taken digital image information in which parameters that can be used in shape deformation are not available, a continuous change in shape of the object to be deformed can be realized.
In recent years, as an example of such morphing technique, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-106453 has proposed the following technique. That is, when the operator interactively designates, in a computer, a deformation range on a source image to be deformed, which is segmented into a plurality of blocks in a grid pattern, grid points within that deformation range move according to predetermined movement rules, and at least some of the plurality of blocks deform, thus deforming the shape of an object expressed by the source image.
According to the above prior arts, the operator can easily issue a deformation instruction of an object expressed by a source image. However, since the conventional morphing technique is based on an image expressed by actually taken digital image data, the prior art has explained a deformation process of a two-dimensional (2D) shape expressed on a 2D coordinate system (X-Y), but does not contain any description about applications to a three-dimensional (3D) shape.
On the other hand, deformation of an animation image created using so-called computer graphics (CG) can be implemented more easily, than morphing based on actually taken digital image data, by continuously changing upon display parameters which are originally contained in a data structure which form that image information.
By contrast, 3D shape information such as a solid model, surface model, or the like generated in the design job in a vehicle manufacturer or the like using versatile software for CAD (Computer aided Design)/CAE (Computer aided Engineering) is a complicated data structure that contains a huge number of coordinate values, various kinds of attribute information, and the like, and such data structure largely varies depending on suppliers (software vendors). Hence, no aforementioned attempts have been made to generate and display a deformed shape on the basis of a source shape of an object.
However, in the design jobs in vehicle manufacturers and the like, CAE software programs that simulate analysis of 3D shape information of a structure generated using CAD software by a computer have prevailed, and among such programs, an analysis method based on a finite element method (FEM) has become widespread.
In the analysis method based on the FEM, the user must execute prearrangement processes, i.e., must segment a structure to be analyzed, which is expressed by 3D shape information, into a mesh pattern using a pre-processor, and must set attribute information such as constraint conditions, boundary conditions of predetermined items such as stress and the like, and so forth. Such prearrangement processes largely influence the precision and processing time of an analysis process, which is actually done using a solver for FEM. Hence, optimal setups which must be made prior to the analysis process impose heavy work loads on the user of the design department, who must develop a new model vehicle within a short period of time by effectively utilizing a limited development period.
However, in such development circumstance, a new model vehicle to be developed by the design department is often a derived vehicle based on existing vehicles. In this case, since data groups (data sets: corresponding to FEM models in an embodiment to be described later) prepared in the prearrangement processes of the analysis process using the solver upon developing such existing vehicles have already been stored in a database in an enterprise, such data groups should be effectively utilized as resources upon developing a new model vehicle such as a derived vehicle or the like.